


Stars and Butterflies

by silveryink



Series: Charmed [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Autumn, Ballroom Dancing, F/M, First Meetings, Gen, Magic, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-26 00:12:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16208609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silveryink/pseuds/silveryink
Summary: It is the Autumn Equinox festival in Vanaheim, and for the first time, representatives from other worlds have been invited. The royal Ball might just be the perfect opportunity to make some new friends...





	Stars and Butterflies

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is dedicated to one of my friends, who basically got me writing 'Undying Fidelity'. This can be read as a standalone fic or as a part of a series.  
> If you are reading this as a part of a series, this is the first part of 'Charmed' of which 'Undying Fidelity' is a part.  
> Originally I'd planned this to be Autumn themed because October, then it became a gift for my aforementioned friend.  
> Hope you all enjoy!

Autumn was nice. It was rare on Vanaheim, only came about every few years or so, but it seemed to be more beautiful every time. Sigyn dismounted from her horse smoothly, handing over the reins to the stable-hand. The little girl grinned toothily at her and led Dawn into the stall.

Sigyn smiled fondly at the child and made her way back to the palace. She had been wandering about in the woods that day, and had visited Idunn, who had promised an entire batch of apples for the Autumn festival in the town three days hence.

She couldn’t wait.

The royal family had extended invitations to the other realms for the first time to attend the Ball which was held in the palace. Jotunheim and Muspellheim rejected the invitations, which was only to be expected. Svartalfheim was a dead planet, and Niflheim didn’t respond, so they were crossed off the list as well.

Nornheim and Ria, which weren’t a part of the Nine but came under the jurisdiction anyway, accepted the invitations. Asgard and Midgard were also attending, as was Alfheim.

It was going to be interesting.

She slipped past the guards and into her chambers. Her handmaidens were waiting for her, each of them occupied with some task or the other. Inge was sewing furiously, finishing the touches on something that looked like spun gold. Maybe it was.

The three of them looked up as she entered and smiled, though they made no attempt to rise. Sigyn grinned back at her companions. She’d insisted on them calling her by her first name, which was something most nobles (or royals) wouldn’t have allowed.

She glanced at the schedule for the next three days and groaned. She would have no time to look into the library’s cataloguing system to add the new books that had arrived from Alfheim. She quickly changed into her bedclothes and sank into her bed.

She would need all the rest she could get.

...

Two days passed quickly enough in a flurry of decisions. Surprisingly, she had enough time to catalogue the new books in Vanaheim’s archives, which were rivalled only by Asgard’s. She remembered her father telling her that Asgard’s libraries had been inadequately stocked until about a hundred and fifty years ago. He’d said that one of the princes had insisted upon its proper maintenance.

She had liked the prince immediately. A scholar among a race of warriors was rare and something to be cherished. Vanaheim knew that, but Asgard was still coming to terms with the idea that someone could prefer knowledge to fighting.

She decided to go to the woods again, as it was the evening before all the guests arrived. The view would be better tomorrow, when it was closer to the equinox, but she might not get time to admire it while she was playing host to the representatives of five other realms and Vanir nobles. Sigyn liked the royal Ball but preferred the celebrations of the townsfolk to the grandeur of the palace sometimes.

Little did she know that this one would be better than the rest.

...

Sigyn woke up the next day to find her handmaidens bustling around the room looking more harried than usual. She glanced at the timepiece on the bedside and sat up with a yelp. She was running late.

Jorunn rushed over to help her when she stumbled out from the bath with her stays half-laced. There was a reason she hated formal dresses. She brightened when she saw what she was to wear. It was the golden dress Inge had been sewing the other day.

Sigyn pulled it on eagerly and stared, slack-jawed at her reflection. The gold brought out the red of her hair, and made her bronze skin stand out as well. Jorunn smirked and pulled her towards the dresser to arrange her hair. Vigdis kept up a steady stream of chatter about Halvard, a man she fancied who had invited her to the dance in the townhall the next evening, as she braided Sigyn’s hair and pinned it in place.

The Ball itself was closed off to a select few, but that was to be held only for a day in the palace. The festival was celebrated for a week in the towns, and Sigyn made a point to attend on the first and last days, if not every day.

With a final pin sliding into her hair, Sigyn looked up to see her long locks piled high up and cascading in fiery curls past her shoulders. She reinforced it with her _seidr_ to keep it in place while dancing. What was the point of being a mage if she couldn’t take these kinds of liberties with her powers?

Her companions clapped excitedly and she laughed merrily at their enthusiasm. They handed her some bracelets and a pair of long earrings, which she put on eagerly. She would have stayed longer to chat with them, but they forced her quickly into a pair of low scarlet heels and pushed her towards the main hall.

She barely took a few steps forwards when she heard Inge shriek in alarm and sprint up to her. The young maiden carefully placed on her circlet (which was made of entwined strands of gold and had s single ruby nestled in the center of her forehead) and deemed her fit to go. It was then that Sigyn realised that the hairpins were shaped like butterflies, and that her spell had animated them to flutter their wings in an almost lifelike manner.

Laughing, she half ran towards the hall and took her place beside her parents. Her mother smiled warmly at her. “Darling, you look wonderful.”

“Thank you, Mother,” she replied.

“She’s right,” her father said with a smile. “You are quite the vision. I imagine you will sweep everyone off their feet today.”

“I hear the prince of Alfheim is to come,” her mother suggested.

“Mother, Leif is my childhood friend.”

“Precisely,” her mother teased. Sigyn rolled her eyes. A burst of trumpets in the welcoming fanfare made the family wince from the volume. The doors opened, and a page began announcing the guests.

“Prince Leif of Alfheim!”

“Well met, Princess,” Leif said with a smirk and a bow. Sigyn smirked back at her childhood friend. “Well met, Leif.”

“Princess Alva of Ria!”

“Your Highness,” the princess greeted. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I have heard much of you, from travellers.”

Ria was a refuge for those who had no world to call their own. Many travellers passed by the realm to introduce friends or acquaintances to their new lives.

“Princess Alva, the pleasure is mine.”

“Lady Solveig of Nornheim!”

Sigyn curtsied deeply before her. “My Lady, it is an honour.”

Lady Solveig curtsied back and smiled at her.

“Lord Erik of Midgard!”

“Your Highness,” a young man greeted in a thick accent.

“Lord Erik. It has been long since we have spoken to the people of Midgard.”

“Indeed, your Highness.”

The introductions would be concluded after the announcement of the final visitor (who Sigyn was sure would be the prince of Asgard) and she was looking forward to catching up with Leif and getting to know the others.

“Prince Loki of Asgard!”

Sigyn raised an eyebrow at the slender figure before her. She had always thought of Aesir as burly and muscle-bound. The second prince of Asgard was tall and slim, and looked more Vanir-like than she had thought. He had a sparkle in his eyes, of mischief, amid the bright gleam of intelligence and the fire of curiosity. Sigyn immediately wanted to become well acquainted with him.

Loki bowed courteously. “Your Highness,” he said, in a rich voice. Sigyn found it oddly soothing, though this seemed a bit ridiculous when she thought about it. She curtsied back and greeted him cordially, before stepping down from her mantle to talk to the others.

Lady Solveig, though amiable as Sigyn had always found her, was too old to be a companion. She and Leif were close, but at this point the two of them simply corresponded over letters. They had drifted apart from the sibling-like bond they had shared in their childhood. Sigyn was interested in getting to know Princess Alva, who looked to be her age, and Prince Loki.

She stood to the side of the hall and struck up conversation wherever needed, at least until Alva came up to her. The two of them were soon chatting animatedly about music and dance, which were some shared interests of theirs. A few minutes later, they heard strains of music, signalling the beginning of the Ball.

Leif pulled away Alva to a dance, and Sigyn was left alone, watching the pair swirl around the ballroom. She saw a movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to face Prince Loki, who bowed and extended a hand to her. She took it wordlessly and let him lead her to the dance floor.

She saw something she hadn’t noticed earlier about his circlet – two very small, barely noticeable horns peeked out of the golden metal, and the band itself was etched with runes. She placed a hand on his shoulder and held his other hand, allowing him to rest his free hand on her waist.

The two of them swayed to the music in silence. Sigyn hesitated only for a moment before breaking it. “I knew not that you were a mage,” she said.

Loki smiled. “You are observant, your Highness,” he commented. “I was born with my powers.”

“As was I.”

Loki blinked, surprised. “Of course. I forgot that Vanir are more likely to wield magic than Aesir. It is much rarer among our community. Even so, it is more common among women than men, especially among the townsfolk.”

“Here it is not so,” Sigyn said. “We have an equal chance of being born with _seidr_.”

Loki nodded. They lapsed into silence once more, and Sigyn found herself gazing at him, studying his features. His dark hair and suit with golden highlights brought a stark contrast to his piercing green eyes, which were accented by his flowing cape.

He twirled her gracefully before they stepped back into their earlier positions. She nearly fell over because of the new heels she wore, but caught herself in time. The prince, who noticed, hid it by exaggerating the next step as she regained her balance.

“I am sorry, your Highness,” she said. “I am usually a better dance partner.”

“Then you must be the best in the Nine Realms,” he replied smoothly. “For you dance exquisitely.”

Sigyn chuckled. “You have quite the silver tongue,” she said. He smiled. “That one is new. No one has called me that before.”

“I suppose you must get used to it,” Sigyn said.

“How do you mean?”

She found herself suddenly nervous as the dance ended. How would he react to her invitation of companionship?

“I wish for both of us to become… better acquainted,” she said carefully. “Seeing as Vanaheim and Asgard are allies, it would only be beneficial to both our worlds to spark a friendship, if such a thing could come to be.” She tried not to look too hopeful.

His expression was that of confusion. “You really want to be friends with _me_? Not Thor?”

“You…” Norns, she hadn’t expected this. She’d half thought he’d be disdainful of her request before rejecting it. “Your Highness, I am from Vanaheim, where most of us prefer learning and scholarly work over crude fighting. If you are anything like what I have heard, I think we should find that a common interest.”

“That is… true, I suppose. But I find the idea of your seeking my companionship hard to believe. Most people tend to ask for my brother,” he said with a rueful smile. “My apologies if I have offended you in any way.”

Sigyn rarely had the desire to be violent, though she was well trained in most weapons and hand-to-hand combat, but she wanted (perhaps irrationally) to punch whoever overlooked the genuinely likeable prince (from what she knew of him) and made him conscious of such matters.

“You have not offended me,” she assured him. “But I do wish to know whether or not you will accept my offer.”

Was that a blush? Sigyn wondered why the prince had any reason to blush now. Although, she had to admit, it made him look endearing, when it was paired with that shyly pleased look. “I accept your offer,” he said softly. “I think I should like to be friends with you as well.”

Sigyn beamed. “I look forward to it.”

...

The rest of the ball passed quickly enough, and she and Loki also secured the friendship of Alva. The others retired for the night finally, and Loki was the last to leave. As he bent to press his lips to her hand in a courteous gesture, she asked, “Would you like to attend the festival in the town with me?”

Loki frowned. “It grows late, your Highness,” he said, confused. “Though I am not opposed to the idea, I had assumed that you would want to retire now.”

Sigyn didn’t know how Loki had seen through her façade of wakefulness. She felt ready to drop to the floor and _sleep_ , regardless of spectators. “Not today, your Highness,” she said. “The town celebrates the equinox, which is tomorrow, and continues for a week. The first day of festivities is usually the merriest. I am sure they would be glad to have you there.”

“If I wouldn’t impose on them…”

“You wouldn’t,” she assured him. Runa, the town elder, kept pestering her to bring a few friends with her when she visited the town. She wondered if this would make her happy. “They have long since wanted the nobles and royals to be a part of their celebrations. That you are from another world would only make them happier.”

“Then I will attend the festival with you,” Loki said with a smile so charming that Sigyn nearly fell over.

 ...

The pair slipped out of the palace the next day after bidding farewell to the rest of the visitors. Loki himself had spoken to Heimdall and had asked for an extension to his visit. The sky was beginning to darken, and Sigyn led Loki to a separate clearing which would give them a perfect view of the sunset.

“Where are we going?”

“Just a small detour before we head for the festival,” Sigyn said mysteriously. Loki laughed, and Sigyn found her heart leaping in joy at the sound. The pair chatted about the library in Asgard for a while. When Loki expressed his regret at the lack of a proper cataloguing system, Sigyn suggested her coming over to help him.

He hadn’t stopped thanking her till they reached the small alcove.

“This is… I call it the Cavern of Light. You can see for yourself why,” she said, pulling back the curtain of ferns. Loki stepped through and gasped in awe. Sigyn smiled, Vanir sunsets were truly a beauty to behold, especially on equinoxes. And the Cavern of Light had the best view in the entire realm.

It was her little secret, or had been till now. But she had a feeling she wouldn’t regret sharing this with Loki.

“The sky, it’s – it’s…”

Sigyn laughed softly. “Look at your hand,” she said.

Loki lifted his hand and let out a small sound of delight when he saw greenish-gold light pooling around his palm. Sigyn wished she would be able to hear that sound again, it had within seconds become her favourite sound in the Nine. She didn’t understand how.

“My _seidr_ ,” he said, wonder and joy lowering his voice. “Does the sunset-” The realization hit him. “The lights, those are the people. The _seidr_ users.”

Sigyn nodded. “As you can see, it affects all of us.” She raised her own hand, which was bathed in coppery light, the colour of her _seidr_. “It happens every autumn, at the start of the festival.”

“The one celebrated in town?”

“The townsfolk reach into the realm’s energies to see when this phenomenon happens. They choose that date roughly a month prior to the festival.” Sigyn grinned at the prince, who looked enraptured by the explanation. “It is quite literally magical. The autumn festival is not only to celebrate the change of seasons. It celebrates the day when our _seidr_ is strongest. It literally rejoices over magic.”

“That is fascinating,” Loki murmured, gazing into the distance.

“It is not all I wanted to show you,” she said. _Any minute now…_

A shower of sparks caught their attention, and they watched in awe as stars of different sizes shot past them, trailing different colours. Cheers erupted from below, signalling the beginning of the festival.

Sigyn turned to Loki. “To new beginnings,” she said, reaching a hand out to the prince. Loki took her hand and their _seidr_ responded immediately, weaving together in a display that was as beautiful as the show outside.

“To new beginnings,” Loki said, with a smile dancing across his face.

They turned to face the horizon and watched the magic dance through the realm.


End file.
